
Maybank partners Microsoft to drive digital transformation
In a statement, the financial services group said the partnership would include the upgrade of existing capabilities to Microsoft 365.
Maybank will also adopt Microsoft Azure as one of the main cloud platforms for the group's most strategic systems, functions and data workloads, and empower its 44,000 employees with AI-powered capabilities via Microsoft 365 Copilot.
According to Maybank, Microsoft 365 Copilot acts as an intelligent assistant that can offload complex tasks from the employees, enabling employees to innovate further and drive improvement in the overall customer experience, in efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
Maybank added that it will enhance its existing cybersecurity with Microsoft's industry-leading solutions and ensure robust data protection.
Beyong technological adoption, the partnership will explore the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for both companies to collaborate on developing cloud and AI-powered innovation, and in nurturing in-house talents in these areas.
'This strategic partnership with Microsoft is a leap forward in our digital transformation journey beyond our M25+ strategy.
"It's not just about technology; it's about thinking ahead on how we can better serve our customers, improving our ways of working, and accelerating innovations," said Maybank president and group CEO Datuk Sri Khairussaleh Ramli.
Microsoft Asean president Mayang Wadhw added that Maybank is transforming how it serves customers while setting a powerful example for the industry across Asean.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Sinar Daily
9 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Australia watchdog says tech giants turning 'blind eye' to child abuse material
Australia last year unveiled landmark laws that will ban under-16s from social media by the end of 2025. 06 Aug 2025 09:16pm Australia last year unveiled landmark laws that will ban under-16s from social media by the end of 2025. - Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily SYDNEY - Australia's online watchdog accused tech giants including Apple and Google on Wednesday of "turning a blind eye" to child sex abuse material shared on their platforms. The eSafety Commission found that Apple and video streaming site YouTube -- owned by Google -- did not track the number of user reports they received about child sexual abuse, nor did they outline how long it took to respond to these reports. "When left to their own devices, these companies aren't prioritising the protection of children and are seemingly turning a blind eye to crimes occurring on their services," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said. She added that tech companies had not "taken many steps to lift and improve their efforts" since she asked them three years ago. "No other consumer-facing industry would be given the licence to operate by enabling such heinous crimes against children on their premises, or services." The report also found companies including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Skype did not use tools to proactively detect child sex abuse material. Tech companies are required to report to the commission every six months on how they are tackling child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated images. Inman Grant said she hoped she would see "meaningful progress". Australia last year unveiled landmark laws that will ban under-16s from social media by the end of 2025. The government had previously indicated YouTube would be exempt, given its widespread use in classrooms. But last week it announced the video-streaming site, one of the most visited websites in the world, would also be included in the ban. Firms face fines of up to Aus$49.5 million (US$32 million) for failing to comply. Officials are yet to solve basic questions surrounding the laws, such as how the ban will be policed. - AFP More Like This US producer-musician Sean "Diddy" Combs gestures in the press room during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on September 12, 2023. Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is to be sentenced in October for his conviction on prostitution-related charges, is seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump, one of his lawyers said August 5, 2025. "It's my understanding that we've reached out and had conversations in reference to a pardon," Nicole Westmoreland told CNN in an interview. Trump has indicated, however, that he is unlikely to grant a pardon to the 55-year-old Combs. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)


Focus Malaysia
14 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
SOCSO partners Pepper Labs to upskill jobless grads via Google Career Certs Scholarships
IN LINE with the Human Resources Ministry's mission to address youth unemployment and accelerate digital inclusion, the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) and home-grown social impact enterprise Pepper Labs have teamed up under the Google Gemilang initiative. This pioneering collaboration marks another significant stride in Pepper Labs' decade-long journey of impact and nation-building through technology, innovation and strategic partnerships. Having empowered over 300,000 Malaysians with AI (artificial intelligence) fluency and future-ready digital skills, Pepper Labs now works closely with public sector stakeholders to integrate AI solutions into the transformation of governance and service delivery. This partnership exemplifies Pepper Labs' unique positioning as a trusted enabler of Malaysia's digital and socioeconomic agenda. Under the scholarship, unemployed Malaysian youth are offered fully sponsored scholarships to access globally recognised certifications in high-demand areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, project management and digital marketing curated by Google and delivered via The programme bridges the education-to-employment gap and supports the national goal to build a future-ready, digitally skilled workforce. Under the strategic direction of the Human Resources Ministry, SOCSO facilitates candidate identification through its MYFutureJobs platform and career fairs while Pepper Labs as the lead implementation partner, delivers end-to-end support, ranging from technical skills, 21st century skills, soft and living skills, future of works related skills to job placement support, thus ensuring graduates are well-positioned to secure meaningful employment. Digital pursuit 'Through this partnership between SOCSO and Pepper Labs, we're ensuring that unemployed graduates are not left behind in the digital transition,' enthused Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong. 'This initiative is a testament to our belief in the potential of our young talent and our resolve to uplift them with meaningful, globally recognised opportunities.' As an entity recognised by the Government for its consistent impact-driven innovation, Pepper Labs was most recently recognised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim under Budget 2025 with a national commitment to establish community cloud kitchens across underserved communities, hence further expanding its role in inclusive job creation and local enterprise development. This tripartite collaboration reflects a shared commitment to nation-building, digital empowerment and inclusive economic recovery. By investing in human capital and fostering public-private partnerships, Malaysia moves one step closer to achieving its digital aspirations under the Malaysia MadanI vision. This pilot initiative sets the foundation for a scalable model that could benefit even more Malaysian youth in the future. The first group of participants began their training on May 26 with candidates identified through SOCSO's outreach efforts. While enrolment is currently by invitation, interested graduates may reach out to Pepper Labs at [email protected] to express interest and learn about future opportunities under this initiative. – Aug 6, 2025


Free Malaysia Today
14 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Reskill, upskill to stay in the game
While artificial intelligence has rendered some jobs obsolete, it has also ushered in new ones that require a new set of skills. (AFP pic) PETALING JAYA : For those who are desperate to keep their jobs, artificial intelligence (AI) has become the bogeyman. The threat of it replacing you and I at the workplace is all very real. Many experts have also added fuel to the fire, citing research that shows imminent widespread job losses as a result of the entry of AI. For instance, researchers at investment banking and multi-financial services group Goldman Sachs recently estimated that AI could eventually replace two-thirds of all occupations. But technology has been taking away jobs for years, if not decades now. Over the years, automation has already led to endless cycles of job losses. On the factory floor in many industrial areas, the chatter of workers has been replaced by the humming of robotic arms. But while the threat of AI is very much in our collective psyche, the fact is that many other factors also lead to job losses. As unionist J Solomon points out, companies also undergo restructuring exercises from time to time, making 'down-sizing' imperative. Over and above that, economic fallout, change in consumer demand, or shifts in business strategies also render many jobs obsolete. Need for change AI is not necessarily the main cause of job losses. In many sectors, such as oil and gas (O&G) and media, companies have been forced to incorporate new technology into their operations in the face of rising costs. In O&G, experts say, the widespread acceptance of AI could yield savings of anything from 10% to 20% on spending. For instance in Singapore, the O&G sector has achieved significant cost reductions, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced safety, resulting in more informed decisions, according to Supermec, an integrated engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services provider based in the island republic. A consequence of that is that some jobs are rendered redundant. Big oil companies such as ExxonMobil and Chevron are already leveraging consolidation and technology-driven improvements to manage costs amid declining returns from upstream investments. In the media, newspapers in the UK and Italy are already experimenting with replacing reporters with AI. Last year the Worcester Journal, one of more than 200 titles published by Newsquest, the UK's second biggest publisher, hired eight 'AI-assisted' journalists to report on local news, according to The Guardian. Reporters' input was considered mundane but necessary 'trusted content', The Guardian reported. This freed up real-life reporters to take on other assignments such as meeting with the local councillor, or attending a village fete, according to news editor Stephanie Preece. In Italy, the Il Foglio newspaper published an edition generated entirely by AI on March 18, 2025. The four-page special, aptly named Il Foglio AI, was made available in print and online as part of a month-long experiment, the Prompt Engineering and AI Institute reported on its website The plus side But ominous as it sounds, that is only half the story. As Arulkumar Singaraveloo, CEO of human resources advisory services provider Malaysia HR Forum, puts it, it is not doom and gloom all the way. 'While AI will take over some of the tasks that are now handled by people, it cannot replace humans altogether,' he told FMT. For instance, he said, banks have reduced over-the-counter service substantially in favour of electronic transactions, but counters continue to stay open for customers who require interaction with a bank officer. Solomon, who is also secretary-general of the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE), shares the same sentiments. 'In banking, we frequently see efforts to reduce or replace human roles with AI innovations. But rather than being eliminated entirely, jobs such as data entry are often outsourced to foreign vendors, particularly in countries where labour cost is lower,' he told FMT. 'In such cases, the jobs are not disappearing, but rather being relocated, often under the guise of digital transformation or cost efficiency,' he added. On the bright side, the entry of AI has also led to new job openings even as it takes away traditional ones. In a May 15, 2025 report on an online community for startups and tech companies, Goldman Sachs noted that the new technology is creating new jobs as well, 'potentially easing the transition for affected workers'. The question is whether or not businesses are prepared to help their workers to re-skill or upskill themselves to take on new roles. The way to reskill and upskill is already here, with HRD Corporation (HRD Corp) at the forefront of such efforts in Malaysia. A second chance Over the years, there has in fact been a marked increase in the number of people seeking to acquire new skills, according to HRD Corp chief strategy officer Rony Ambrose Gobilee. In 2022, about 880,000 people participated in various training exercises under the auspices of HRD Corp. The number of participants rose to 1.49 million in 2024, representing a 69% increase over the period. The number is the sum of those seeking to reskill or upskill to enable them to get new jobs, as well as those who are looking for their first job. Another HRD Corp initiative that has attracted wide participation is its National Training Week (NTW), Gobilee told FMT. More than 3.53 million enrolled for the 2025 edition of its integrated centralised platform to search and apply for a spot in skills development programmes. This was up from 375,817 in 2024. 'This reflects a nationwide enthusiasm for accessible, high-impact training opportunities,' Gobilee pointed out. 'This trend reflects the growing awareness of the need to remain competitive and adaptable in a dynamic economic landscape and a significant growth in appetite for upskilling and reskilling among Malaysian workers,' he added. Gobilee said HRD Corp's efforts have played a pivotal role in empowering individuals to make the transition into new employment opportunities. For Solomon, this underscores the importance of opening the way for people to get back on their feet after retrenchment.